Time to ‘pay the piper’ for our inaction on climate change
Will we learn?
Regarding “As aquifers vanish, farmers face future of a new Dust Bowl,” (Sept. 12): I read the article with thoughts of “deja vu.”
In the early 1970s, I took a geography class at Sam Houston State University. I was told that the Ogallala Aquifer was being pumped dry by farmers. We have had at least 50 years to change our ways but we continue to do the same thing. Now we have to “pay the piper.”
This reminds me of a similar, local problem. We continue to build in the floodplain and get flooded out. Humans don’t learn from their mistakes. With human-created climate change you don’t get a second chance. Will we learn to correct ourselves before it’s too late?
Brandt Mannchen, Humble
He who shall not be named
Regarding “America has always run from the truth of itself,” (Sept. 12): I always enjoy and look forward to reading Leonard Pitts’ columns on Sunday mornings.
But I was especially thrilled to read his reference to a particular person who was not happy to see the monument to Robert E. Lee removed in Virginia described as “a retiree who used to work for the federal government.”
I would be extremely happy to never see that particular retiree’s name or picture in print or any sort of media.
Thank you, Mr. Pitts, for keeping him
as one who shall not be named.
David Aylsworth, Houston
Misinformation
Regarding “Houston Methodist doctors experience increased hostility amid ivermectin, COVID misinformation“(Sept. 10): If you are speeding on the freeway, lose control of your car and drive into the barriers, the last thing you want to do is yell at the tow truck driver because he is driving too slow.
If you try to install a new sink or toilet and instead flood your bathroom, you can call on a licensed plumber to clean up the mess. But you don’t get to advise him on
what wrenches to use.
So if, because of all the junk you have been reading online, you consider yourself an expert, refuse to get vaccinated, refuse to mask up or take any other precautions — and if, despite your firm beliefs, you still get COVID and need to be cared for at the hospital’s ICU — go ahead and tell the doctors and nurses exactly what they are doing wrong and that the only reason you are still there is because they refuse to treat you with horse dewormer and aquarium cleaner. You have a valid point.
Niklas Oberfeld, League City
Harris County budget
Regarding “Democrats pitch Harris County property tax cut but Republicans want to go deeper,” (Sept. 14): I read with interest the current state of the Harris County budget, wherein commissioners Jack Cagle and Tom Ramsey are threatening to, once again, refuse to show up to work because they don’t like the math. Reducing the commissioners’ rationale to the “kitchen table” economic discussion that Republicans like to tout, the conversation at the kitchen table goes something like this:
Judge Lina Hidalgo: Well, the family has grown, and we have more kids, plus another one on the way. That’s more mouths to feed, clothe and educate. We need to have more money if we’re going to take care of everything.
Cagle: Well, the solution then is I’m going to go to work and tell the boss I get paid too much, and I want a pay cut.
Hidalgo: No. The family needs this if we’re going to survive.
Cagle: I’m not going to have this discussion. And if you don’t like it, I’ll just leave the house, I won’t show up for work at all, and not come back.
Great family values there, guys.
Sean Kelly McPherson, Houston
Inconsistency
Regarding “Opinion: Texas put a bounty on my rabbi. Is it time for us to leave?,” (Sept. 16): State Rep. Briscoe Cain, RBaytown, promoted on his Twitter bio that he is a “baby-murder bounty hunter.” In 2019, he was one of only two legislators to vote against HCR 42, a Chronicle-endorsed continuing resolution encouraging Texans to be organ and bone marrow donors. The resolution was in honor of my late wife, Dr. Anh Reiss, who died of leukemia at age 48, and as an obstetrician delivered thousands of babies. I would love for the Chronicle to ask Cain how this vote was pro-life.
Joshua Reiss, Houston